Of Feathers and Guns
by Javelon
Summary: Her past has been lost to her. Her future is an uncertainty. All that is known is that her secret Must be protected. Between the demons invading her town and the two nosy hunters hot on the demons' heels this will be easier said than done.


I know this is my 3rd new story in just a few months but I haven't been able to focus on my other stories with these new ideas battering me for attention. This story in particular in something different from what I normally do so let's see how it goes, eh?

**Disclaimer: **Supernatural doesn't belong to me. Any characters you don't recognize are probably mine.

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**Chapter 1: Nothing Exciting Ever Happens in Small Towns, Right?**

In big cities there seemed to always be something going on. There was endless road construction that irritated rush hour drivers, countless social events at the local theaters and malls, car accidents that people had to stop and gawk at, and another crime being reported on the evening news. Be it good or bad, there was always something for people to do or gossip about just around the corner.

Small towns were almost the complete opposite. These places of at most 5000 people seemed to be frozen in time and its citizens usually preferred it that way, though the kids would be quick to argue otherwise. The small town of Paola, KS was no exception to this rule. It may have been the biggest town in the county but still the most exciting thing to happen was the annual county fair during the last week of July. In fact it was such a big deal that here it was the first of June and it was already being talked about in the local newspaper.

Cindy let out a sigh as she set aside said newspaper and just sat at her dining room table, sipping on her tea as she stared out the large picture window and watching the dark storm clouds roll in while the sun descended behind the horizon. She absentmindedly blew her chocolate brown bangs out of her eyes and picked at her frayed jean capri pants.

"Penny for your thoughts, hun?" a deep voice broke through the haze that was rolling over her mind.

She shook off the haze and turned towards her husband. He stood just a few feet behind her in his faded blue jeans and old western style shirt, his well tanned arms crossed over his chest as he leaned against the frame of the entryway into the kitchen. His eyes seemed to shine with curiosity and a bit of mischief when he noticed her admiring his rugged yet handsome face. At age 29 he still had a boyish look to him with his short sandy brown hair and dark blue eyes that was only offset a bit by the stubble growing on his chin. She smiled and beckoned him closer as she stood up and turned back to the window. He came up behind her and snaked his arms her slim waist, his 6'2" frame allowing him to easily rest his head atop hers as they both watching the incoming storm.

"So you gonna tell me what's on your mind?" he asked after a moment of comfortable silence had passed.

Cindy leaned back against him, closing her light brown eyes before replying.

"I was just thinking that this town could use a little excitement. When was the last time something interesting happened here?" she asked him.

She smiled softly to herself when she felt his chest rumble against her back as he hummed in thought. They had been married for going on 7 years and she still loved feeling his heart beat while leaning up against his chest. She imagined it would still be her favorite feeling when they were old, grey and senile.

"Well there was that mountain lion that Gary from down the road found in his pasture. He thinks that's what has been killing his cattle lately." Her husband's deep voice interrupted her thoughts.

Cindy rolled her eyes in mock exasperation, "You know that's not what I meant, Charles."

He chuckled, "My apologies. I had forgotten for a moment that I'm married to a born and raised Kansas City woman."

His smile widened when Cindy lightly swatted his arm, "That's right you are! Don't forget it again mister."

They both chuckled softly before they lapsed into a comfortable silence, each just enjoying the other's presence with Charles running his fingers through Cindy's shoulder length hair.

"Do you regret moving to my hometown?" Charles asked suddenly.

Cindy shook her head, "No not at all. It really is the perfect place for us both to work with your practice as a livestock vet and mine as a small pets vet and we don't have to drive far. And I do enjoy the peacefulness of the country. You can't get much peace in the city."

"I hear a but in there somewhere."

The petite brunette sighed, "I just sometimes wish that something truly exciting would happen. Something radically different. Last time that happened was 15 years ago when that Walmart Superstore was first built. People went on about that for two years and it's just Walmart."

"Now that's not entirely fair, Cindy. What about that new swimming pool that just opened this summer in the park? I hear it has 3 different slides and a separate little pool just for little kids. That's pretty exciting."

"Not really."

"It is if you're a little kid." Charles pointed out.

Cindy couldn't help the smile that crossed her lips, "We're not little kids though. Anyway I guess I'm just a bit bored. Work has been rather quiet lately except for that Yorkshire Terrier emergency c-section almost two weeks ago."

She felt Charles nod, "Yea that's true. We haven't had anything interesting either apart from the horse that got stuck in a pond a few days ago."

"I remember that day. You came home muddy and soaking wet." Cindy said with a giggle.

She could just hear the eye roll in his voice, "Very funny. I'll be sure to include you next time since you find it so funny."

Cindy made a face as she thought about swimming in a pond with probable snapping turtles nearby, just waiting to take off your toes. She shuddered at the thought, "No thanks. I'll stick to pets. And birds. I'm good with birds. A bird expert if you will."

"Well Miss. Bird Expert, why don't you identify that large silly bird that's flying out in this storm."

Cindy frowned and scanned the sky, "What are you talking about? Birds don't fly when there's a storm moving in."

Her husband lifted his right arm and pointed towards the encroaching storm clouds, "Apparently this bird didn't get the memo. It's that one with the big white wings. When the lightning flashes again you'll probably spot it."

Sure enough the next bolt of lightning illuminated the sky and revealed a large creature with pure white wings that Charles had first spotted.

Cindy chewed on her bottom lip as she puzzled over the strange creature, "I can't say I've really seen a bird that large before around here. Not a wild one anyway. Those wings look like they're easily 10 feet long. Only local birds that are that big, that I can think of anyway, are geese and swans. Maybe even a crane but from what little I saw of its body during the lightning flash it's too big."

"But geese don't usually fly alone. Plus white geese still have black wing tips. Those wings are one hundred percent white. Also I've lived here my whole life and not once have I seen a wild swan." Charles pointed out, his eyes still trained on the animal.

"James and his wife just got those two swans a couple weeks ago though. Maybe it's one of theirs?" she suggested as she pulled herself out of his arms and headed towards the kitchen, "I'm going outside to get a closer look. Could you ring up James and see if it's his bird? I'm sure he'll want it back with how much they paid if it is."

Stopping to make sure Charles was making the call, Cindy grabbed her light jacket from its peg by the door in the kitchen. She knew from past experience that even during the summer, storm winds could be quite chilly in Kansas. Throwing on the jacket, she stepped out onto the porch, almost immediately getting blown over by a gust of wind. Wind caused her hair to whip around her face and made it difficult to see anything. Staying up against the house and underneath the porch overhang seemed to help a bit but she knew once it started raining the overhang wasn't gonna help her much. With her hands shielding her eyes, she was able to spot the bird rather quickly. It was actually hard to miss the massive white wings and she was surprised her husband had noticed it before she had. Concern filled the young vet as she watched the creature struggle with the wind and swerve whenever lightning flashed across the sky.

Cindy heard the door click shut behind her right before Charles came to stand beside her as he tucked his phone back into his pocket and sighed. She turned her head towards him, waiting for his report.

"James said his birds are locked up good and tight in the barn so this isn't one of theirs. I'm willing to bet it's wild and that there's probably something wrong with it. It's obviously not quite right in the head if it's flying during a storm. Lightning doesn't strike birds that often but if it struck close by, the bird will probably be rather disoriented, might even crash into the ground." Charles informed her while he looked up at the sky.

"That's what I'm worried about. The poor thing is gonna get hurt. I don't understand why it doesn't just land." Cindy shook her head in pity.

No sooner had she said that when another lightning bolt streaked across the sky, coming dangerously close to hitting the bird. The flash of lightning seemed to have blinded it as the creature started spiraling down towards the ground at an alarming rate.

Cindy didn't even realize she was running until her husband called after her.

"I'll be fine! Grab our emergency kit! It's probably injured and needs help." She called back over her shoulder.

She didn't stop to see if he had listened to her. With how the bird was flying she knew it was gonna land somewhere near their property. It wasn't gonna be a smooth landing for the creature so it was likely to be injured and scared out of its wits. The animal lover in her that made her into a vet to begin with yearned to help plus the curious side of her desperately wanted to know just what it was exactly. From the few flashes of lightning she suspected it had a black body that was strangely long.

Despite the fact that the bird was barreling towards earth, she couldn't get a better look due to all the trees blocking a good view. It only took a few moments for it to disappear into the trees just beyond Cindy's property. A moment later found the vet at the property line thinking that good manners be damned, taking great care while climbing over the wicked barbed wire that snagged at any loose clothing on your person. While she would normally have hesitated to enter her neighbor's pasture without his permission, she had a mission. If he got pissy about it she would just bring him one of those cakes of hers that he loves so much and all would be forgiven.

Having successfully scaled the fence, Cindy turned her attention to the sparse woods that covered most of her neighbor's own property. While during the day the thick trunks of the trees provided protection from the sounds of the passing traffic on the nearby road, at night the trees only served to frustrate Cindy, blocking her view with the suddenly too numerous branches. An almost childish sense of satisfaction rose up when she heard the distinctive snapping of various branches, feeling happy that the trees were getting some payback for impeding her search only for her to beat it down when she remembered just why she was hearing these sounds.

It wasn't horribly difficult for Cindy to follow her quarry. Even after all the noise died down all she had to do was follow the trail of broken branches and abandoned feathers, her adjusted vision easily picking out the white against the blackness of the woods. One of the many glistening white feathers caught the vet's attention more than the rest and as she plucked it off the ground, concern filled her being. Half of the feather had been tainted by fresh blood, proving what Cindy already suspected would be the case. The animal was injured and in need of immediate medical attention.

From behind her in the direction of the house, Charles called out for her. She guessed he couldn't see as well in the dark and glanced back to see the bobbing light of a flashlight that she hoped was her husband.

"I'm over here! Hurry!" she called back to him, hoping she wasn't attracting the attention of something or someone she shouldn't.

Trusting that Charles could find her even if she continued, she turned back to the trail she had been following. Scanning it over with just her eyes, Cindy saw that it only continued for a few more feet before leading into a small clearing that was mostly blocked off by trees. Even in the growing darkness, it was easy to see where a particularly large branch had recently been snapped off. She had to take great care while walking around these trees, afraid of tripping over one of the many tree roots that peaked up above the ground. It was almost as if the very woods themselves were trying to protect the clearing from invaders such as herself. Cindy shook her head in amusement at her own thoughts as she successfully made it into the clearing only for all her thought process to die when her eyes took in the scene before her.

"Charles!"

Charles couldn't help grumbling when he first felt the large drops of H2O splash against his skin. It was just a matter of time now before these occasional drop to turn into many drops then into hundreds until it was finally just pouring buckets of rain from the sky. It was really the worst time for the strange bird to come falling from the sky. A small part of Charles' brain was nagging at him while he navigated his way through the overgrown woods his neighbor liked to call a pasture.

There was something very strange about this situation. Too many things just didn't add up right. The wings for one thing were way too large for the creature to be anything local. Growing up Charles had loved going to the zoo more than anything and he always loved the bird cages, especially the large birds. Now it had been many years since he had been to the zoo but never before had he seen a wingspan quite so long. Then there was the color. It wasn't so much that they were white. There were plenty of local birds that had pure white wings. No it was that the wings seemed to almost glow. Who had ever heard of a bird with glowing white wings? Nobody that he knew of. Finally there was the body of the bird. He had only caught glimpses of it but it seemed to be completely black. And even though he looked directly at it there seemed to be a haze of sorts. As if his mind wasn't comprehending the images being sent to it.

The young vet held his flashlight in the crook of his arm as he rubbed at his face. He needed to focus on finding his wife before the very heavens opened up upon them. There was plenty of time to analyze his misfiring nerves in his eyes. Despite the pitter patter of drops hitting leaves, it was easy to hear Cindy walking around in the woods about 20 feet ahead of him. Taking a moment to call out to her proved that she was rather close by which Charles was grateful for. Sweeping the ground with the luminosity of his flashlight revealed bloody twigs scattered across the path along with a few feathers here and there.

From previous experience, Charles knew birds didn't heal well from serious injuries. Over the years he had been called out onto several farms where someone's chickens or ducks or even geese had been mauled by something else and he could count on one hand how many of those birds survived to see the following day much less the following week. The evidence here was suggesting that this bird, regardless of what species it was, was hurt pretty bad. If it wasn't dead yet it likely would be, come sunrise. Charles found himself wishing he had thought to bring his gun along with his flashlight and emergency kit. Even though he felt strange about the situation, Charles was still a vet. He didn't like seeing animals suffering. He just hoped he didn't have to snap the creature's neck to end said suffering.

"Charles!" Cindy's cry cut through his musings, spurring the man to throw caution to the wind and bolt through the trees.

Branches seemed to grasp at his arms and feet, determined to slow him down until he finally reached a small clearing. His flashlight bounced around the clearing until it settled on the small kneeling form of his wife and the creature they'd been searching for. Color rapidly drained from Charles face as quickly as it took his flashlight to slip from his grasp and hit the ground, the light staying on the scene before him.

"Jesus Christ." He swore quietly.

The large wings he had seen before were much bigger than he'd thought before, easily filling up the clearing as they lay sprawled across the damp grass. He estimated that the wingspan was actually a good 14 feet long. The right wing was bent at an odd angle and was more than likely broken. Most of the feathers were damaged and several were coated in blood. Imbedded in the left shoulder was a rather good sized branch that must have been the result of the crash landing. The chest had at least 3 bullet wounds, luckily none in vital spots. What astonished Charles more than anything though wasn't the numerous wounds. It was the fact that the bird they'd been hunting wasn't a bird at all. It wasn't even an animal. There before him lay a pale white teenage girl who was clothed in all black and had very long light blonde hair. A teenage girl with massive pure white wings growing out of her back.

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I'm rather excited by this story myself. Let me know if you agree!


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